Differential oil dipper



1932- H. s. SHOEMAKER DIFFERENTIAL OIL DIPPER Filed May 50. 1930'mechanism.

Patented Jan. 26, 1932 reverent ries IB. SHOEMAKER, or DETROIT,MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO GENERAL rroirons CORPORATION, DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ACORPORATION OF DELAWARE DiFFERENTIAL OIL nirrnn Application filed m '30,

it motor vehicles and the like, asusually constructed, thedifferentialdrive mechanism between the propeller shaft anddrlve axle is partlysubmerged in and moves through a supply of lubricating oil or greasecontained in the axle housing. The no'rmallevel'of lubricant is suchthat when the vehicle is driven at a very low speed and the movementofthe differential mechanism 18 slow, all of the parts needinglubrication dip in the inabout in the housing bythe rotationtherethroughofthe differential, and the splash is relied upon to keep the partsproperlylubricat'ed.- This lubrication of the parts will be thoroughenough if the lubricant supply'is maintained at'or near thaprolperlevel, but the fact is that many car; owners and operators neglect toregularly'replenish the sup ply, and if for this or any other reason thelevel falls, it follows that there is less splash and then the partsfailing to receive sulficient lubricant wear'ou't' quickly; Then too,when the vehicle isoperated at high speed the assembly turns so fastthat centrifugal force prevents the lubricant reaching in any quantitythe central parts'of the difl'erential. To overcome inadequacy oflubrication and prevent wear and noisy operation, the

present invention contemplates the provision of a scoop or dipper foruse with differential For convenience and economy of manufacture, thedipper may takejthe form of a sheet metal'stamping preferably secured tothe-conventional differential gear casing for rotation therewith, andextended from its leading edge or mouth that dipsinto the lubricantsupply upon each rotation, to an opening in the wall of the casingso asto scoop up a part of the lubricant and die rect or deflect it to theinterior of the casing, and thereby insure the delivery of an abundanceof lubricant to the differential gearing and bearings at all times, eventhough the supply is somewhat below normal and/or the speed of rotationhigh.

A'better understanding of the invention '-respectively.

1930. Serial No. 457,647.

may be had upon reference to its preferred embodiment illustrated in theaccompanying drawings and hereinafter described in detail, although itwill be obvious that the in vention is not limited in its scope to theexact form and application shown and described and that it may be usedin different connections and variously modified and altered to fitconditions. a I

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view of a rear axlehousing showing dili'erential mechanism embodying the present subjectmatter. Figure 2 is a section taken on line of Figure 1. Figure 3 isafragmental elevation looking toward the mouth of the scoop, and Figuredis a detail perspective View of the scoop.

In the drawings the reference character 1 indicates a rear axle housingwith a centrally enlarged proportion 2 that enclosesthe differentialmechanism and provides a Well or pocket for a supply of lubricant, inco-operation with a removable inspection or cover plate 3 on one sidethereof that carries a filler plug 4:, and a tubular member 5 on itsopposite side that provides a bearing for the propeller shaft 6. Keyedon the rear end of the propeller shaft 6 is a driving gear or pinion 9in mesh with a ring gear 10, secured as by rivets 11, to the peripheralflange 12 of the differential gear casing. This casing is shown as beingformed in two halves or sections, 14 and 15, and carries in spacedrelation on the pin or shaft 17, a pair of differential pinions, onlyone of which is indicated in the drawings at 18. These differentialpinions engage with the differential gears and 21 splined on the innerends of the drive axle sections 22 and 23,

All of this constitutes the conventional differential driving mechanism,the action and operation of which is well known.

In the present instance, the gear casing sections 14 and 15, are securedtogether by long bolts or studs 25, four of such bolts being shown inthe drawings, each extending through an enlarged-boss 26 on thesection'lo and into screw threaded engagement with flange section 14:.For reinforcement purposes it has been found desirable to form thesection 15 with a number of radial webs as at 2 8, of which there aresix in the construction illustrated. At diametrically opposite pointsthe'wall of the casing section 15 is cut away between a pair of adjacentwebs 28, to afford openings 30, and similar openings 31.arealso providedin the casing section 14-, these openings being for the purpose ofallowing lubricant, thenormal level of WlllCll is indlcated by thebroken lines in Figure 1, to enter the in- Pterior of the casingand'lubricate the difierential gears aswell as their bearings, and otherassociated parts. v

To insure an adequate delivery of lubricant to the gearsthereisprovidedin addition to the entrance openings, one or more of thescoops or dlppers 38, preterably formed as before stated by sheet metalstamping. As

is shown in the drawings the stamping 33 is of substantially Z, shape inlongitudinal sec.-

tion, oneof its legs being curved and of substantially channel shape incross section, to

afford atroughed deflector,that consists of an arcuatebase34 and a pairof side-flanges 35 1 and 36. The outer flange 36 is cut away so'as toclear the adjacent web 28 as clearly shown Figure 1, and provides inefiect an apertured attachment ear 37-to be positioned beneath one ofthe studs 25. The intermediate portion ofthe 2 indicated by the numeral'3U jacent web 28 to position the otherleg 39 of the Z clear of. the web.This leg'39 has a" 38 extends radially outward alongside its adlateralor dependent ear 40 apertured'for'the passage there through of aconnecting bolt 25.

"-' The stamping is thus securedto the casingby means of the connectingbolt 25,-with-the disand providing a mouth from which'the base 34 curvesrearwardly and inwardly toward the overlaid opening 30; r

a n will be appreciated, therefore, that there is thus provided a scoopwhich can be manufactured at very low-cost and then applied very readilyto-existingdifi'erential mechanisms, without rcquiring'any changeins-uch mechanisms. The particular shape of the stamping is such as tolend it a degree of inherent strength and to effectively directlubricant tothe dilferential'gears as it repeatedlydips into thelubricant supply. Y

1. In a driveaxlefor niotorxvehicles, a 7 housing adapted-to containlubricant, a'differential gear casing rotatable in the housng andprovided at its sides with substan- .wall so as to direct .of thecasing.

clearan adjacent web andproviding an attachment ear, the intermediateportion of the Z extending outwardly to clear another web and the otherleg of the Z projecting across the top of said last mentioned web andcarrying'an attachment ear, and-means to fasten said ears to the casingto rigidly hold the stamping in place. I

2. In a drive axle for motor vehicles, a

housing adapted to co'ntalin lubricant, a dif-' ferential gear casingrotatable thru the lu bricant in said housing and havlng an opening inthe side wall thereof, and a scoop comprising a sheet metal stamping,having a tation thru the lubricant and to dip into the lubricant anddirect a portion thereof'to the differential gearing, comprising a sheetmetal stamping having apair of apertured .attachment cars by which itmaybe rigidly secured'to the carrier-over -an opening thru a wall to theinterior thereof, andbeing of substantially channel section to provide ascoop leading to the opening-with a forward- 4. For use with-thedifferentialdriving mechanism of motor vehicleor the li.ke,of the typewherein a; differential gear carrier .rotate thru a supply of lubricant,adeflector adapted to becarried by the carrier in its rotat-ion thru thelubricant rand-to dip into the lubricant anddirect a portion thereof tothe differential gearing, comprising a' sheet metal stamping ofsubstantially Z "shape in longitudinal section, with one leg of the Zhaving flanges along opposite sides thereof, one of which providesanatt-achment ear, and the other leg of the Z'havingyasingle flange atone side thereof to provide an at tachment ear. 1 r

In testimony HERVY B. SHOEMAKER.

' :tially radially extending reinforcement fWe'bs, with an openingbetween a pair of zwebsleadlng to the'iinterior'of the casin whereofah'izi signature.

vanda sheet. metal stamping of substantially .Z shape, having one legthereof positioned over .vthe opening and provided with sideflangestoform a scoop leadingto the opens i s one T' said flanges gout;awayt

